I Love Rachel

I meant to post before the new episode last night but Monday snuck up on me. Thanks, Memorial Day Weekend! The first few episodes are always a whirlwind, but my main takeaway from the first two episodes is that I LOVE RACHEL LINDSAY.

She is the best. I think she is going to be the best bachelorette we’ve ever had, and I’ve liked pretty much all of them in past years. I love Rachel’s confidence and sense of humor. She seems like she’s having a lot of fun with the process, and although I’m sure we’ll get to see her break down at some point, she sailed through night one like a boss.

Also, is it just me, or do her guys seem better than normal? Obviously there are some duds, which we’ll get to later, but overall I am digging the authenticity and kindness that these guys seem to have. There were a few standouts the past two nights. Kenny is hilarious and has such good commentary. I hope he sticks around so we get more gems like this:

“I’m a pro wrestler. I know all about white dudes acting crazy…take your ass back to Santa Monica.” – Kenny

I am also a big fan of Josiah. He really stepped it up this week after that whole DeMario fiasco, and nabbed that group date rose. I’m not sure I feel the chemistry between the two of them, but I’m a Josiah fan.

Speaking of chemistry – RACHEL AND PETER. I’m all in. Rachel’s date with Peter was the first 1-on-1 of the season and the only 1-on-1 this episode, so I know it won’t be smooth sailing on the Rachel and Peter journey all the way through, but they are adorable together. Peter was also the first one out of the limo on night 1, which historically has meant that he’ll go far. One other thing to note – I read somewhere (in one of the books the contestants publish after the fact – I’ve read them all) that the first 1-on-1 of the season is the only date that the lead actually gets to hand-select, and that every other date is picked by producers. The lead can ask for additional time with any of the contestants and the producers will take that into account in setting up the dates, but the first 1-on-1 is the lead’s selection. Not sure if that is still the case, but if so, it’s very telling.

I loved Rachel and Peter’s date. What can go wrong when you throw puppies into the equation? I also loved that the two of them got deep (and that the editors chose to show us all of that). They didn’t just bond over their adorable gaps in their teeth, but talked about where they might live after the show and how they both took steps to work on their mental health by seeing therapists. It is so refreshing for the show to handle something like therapy as a positive and very normal aspect of life, instead of twisting it into some issue that the contestant has to grapple with.

Good looking family right here

That date was definitely the highlight of the episode for me. The low point? All of DeMario. I haven’t loved DeMario from the start. His bio screamed “attention-seeker” and his confidence on night one went a little too far to be attractive. So I was not at all surprised to hear that he was the one with the girlfriend.

I mean, he dunked on her. Poor form.

DeMario having a questionable relationship status was bad, but the way he dealt with it was even worse. When Rachel brought him in to the gym, he literally tried to pretend he didn’t know the woman.

New phone, who dis?

When that didn’t work, he tried to defame the woman’s character by calling her crazy. He didn’t even give her the respect to direct his attention towards her. He totally ignored her in an effort to get to Rachel. REALLY poor form. Not surprisingly, Rachel handled it like a boss. She read through the texts, gave DeMario a chance to explain himself, and then calmly told him he made no sense so he needed to get the fuck out. BOSS.

Of course, that didn’t mean that Rachel wasn’t upset by the whole thing. She made it clear several times last night that she didn’t want to be made a fool of, and DeMario was doing just that. It also shakes your confidence when you realize that others could be there for the wrong reasons (even if you know that happens every season). Rachel is starting to dig some of these guys and not being able to trust them is not a good feeling.

I also think that Rachel was pissed off at the producers, and rightly so. In her own words, she didn’t even know DeMario. But she did know the producers and Chris Harrison, and she’s smart enough to know they made this whole thing happen. Rachel is buying in to this process and putting her life on hold in the off-chance that she might be one of the lucky few who finds lasting love on this show. She doesn’t want to be made a fool of by the guys, but she especially doesn’t want to be played by the producers.

Check out this sequence:

Rachel looks inside the gym and sees producers and Chris Harrison.

See the producers and cameramen?

Chris Harrison waits for Rachel to come in.

Rachel walks right past him.

I don’t blame her. I’d be pissed too. Those producers are the ones who make her keep this jackass around just for ratings:

She gets past it and goes in to her ITM (“in the moment”) interview like a good lead, but I hope she knows by now that the producers are not your friends. Not real friends, at least. Even if you think they are, they still have a show to make and that has to come first.

It looks like we haven’t seen the last of DeMario. I can guarantee you that he is not coming back for Rachel. He comes back to clear his name. All of this is all about him, not her. Like she said, she barely even knows him, and I doubt DeMario has had a chance to actually get to know the “wifey” he wouldn’t shut up about. I’m sure Rachel knows this and will send him packing, but we’ll just have to wait until then.

And now, my picks:

Peter: If you’re not picking Peter as first right now, you’re blind. They had an awesome date. He’s handsome, funny, and the right amount of chill. Team Peter and Rachel!

Dean: I actually don’t love Dean, but I think Rachel is really into him. Dean strikes me as a little young. I think he’s sticking around for a bit though – that was the person Rachel seemed to connect physically with the most on her group date.

Brian: Speaking of physical, we have to talk about Brian, who did not get a date this week. I was all about Brian on paper. And I do think he’ll go far, because he got the first impression rose AND the first kiss. I just did not like him once he started talking. He wasn’t the only one who lead with a lot of bravado, but he seemed a little too smooth. And… that kiss was gnarly. Not into it.

But Rachel said her “love language” is physical affection, so maybe she’s into it? I’m keeping him in the top for now.

Honorable mention goes to Kenny and Josiah, for the same reasons listed above. I think they have a lot of potential, but I don’t see the chemistry with them the same way I see it with Peter, Dean, and Brian. That could change though, dates only started this week.